Combination pocket-tool.



J. BRUEOKER.

COMBINATION POCKET TOOL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.13, 1912.

1,057,525. Patented Apr. 1, 1913.

var 111011111111 Halo EM BMW M15 ATTORNEY.

WITNESSES; 2% [NVEN TOR.

coLummA PLANOGRAPH C0, \VASHiNGlON. D. c.

' JOHN BRUEOKER, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

COMBINATION POCKET-TOOL.

ostess.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 1, 1913.

Application filed March 13, 1912. Serial No. 683,434.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN BRUECKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort \Vayne, in the county of Allen, in the State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combination Pocket-Tools; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact de scription of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it ap pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in combination pocket tools.

It is well known that a button hook is often indispensable and is'an inconvenient device to carry, and yet is desirable to have in the pocket, particularly upon the train when a man is traveling long distances with the family.

The object of my invention is to provide a pocket tool in which a button hook is conveniently combined with. a knife blade and file in the same containing casing, so arranged that when the button hook is withdrawn for use it is impossible to withdraw the knife-blade or file, either by accident or by design; the whole being combined in a convenient and compact relation.

My invention consists of a cylindrical metallic casing closed at its ends and having a series of longitudinal slots from which the operating parts are suspended, and by which they are guided in their extension and withdrawal; a knife blade, a file blade, and a button hook all slidably mounted in the said casing; means for operating the same; and means for preventing the extension of the said blade or either of them when the button hook is in use.

The principal novel feature of my invention resides in the means for operating the tool parts, and for preventing the withdrawal of the blades when the button hook is in use.

In the accompanying drawings similar reference numerals indicate like parts in the several views, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of my invention showing the relative arrangement of the operative parts within the containing casing, and also showing the means for extending the same, and also showingthe manner of mounting the same on a common key ring. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same looking from the left in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end view of the same looking from the right in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a cross section of the same taken on the line m-m in Fig. 1 showing the-means for preventing the withdrawal of the blades when the button-hook is in use. Fig. 5 is a side view of my invention showing the button-hook in its extended position ready for use, and also showing the relative position of the blades in dotted outline. Fig. 6 is a similar view of the device with the blades in their extended position, and the button-hook in its normal position when not in use. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the button hook. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the file-blade. Fig. 9 is a detail of the knife-blade.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the casing 1 of proper dimensions, preferably of metal and cylindrical in contour, is closed at its forward end by the fixed head 2, provided with the lateral slots 3 and 4, through which the said blades are projected in use, and has its other end provided with a fixed circular head 5 which is set in slightly from the adjacent end of the casing as shown in Fig. 1, and is provided with a lateral opening in which the buttonhook is slidably mounted. This casing is also provided with a plurality of slots 6, 7, and 8 in which the means for operating the button-hook, the file-blade and the knife are respectively mounted. The slots are provided at each end with a slight circular enlargement, as shown at 9 and 10 in Fig 8, for the purpose hereafter described.

The file 11 and knife 21 have body portions 13 and 23, and blade portions 12 and 22 respectively, the body portions being provided upon their rear ends with the respective lateral lugs 14 and 24 which abut against the casing head 5 when they are at rest within the casing. These body portions have transverse openings 15 and 25 in which are fixed the inner ends of the respective studs 16 and 26 having between their ends the respective fixed collars 17 and 27 which normally rest within the respective casing slots 7 and 8 when the blades are within the easing, and to normally rest in the respective slot enlargements 9 when they are in their extended position. The outer end of the studs 16 and 26 have the fixed caps 20 and 28 respectively, and the respective coiled springs 19 and 29 whose lower ends bear against the respective washers 36 and 37.

The rear end of the knife-body normally rest-s against the casing head 5, and the file blade and the knife-blade have their pointed ends normally resting within the respective openings 4 and 3, as shown in Fig. 1.

The means for operating and guiding the button-hook in its longitudinal adjustments are as follows: The inner end of the buttonhook 30 has a rightangular lug or shoulder 31 rounded upon its upper face, as shown, and provided with a fixed pin or lug 32 adapted to slide freely in'its respective slot 6, while the shoulder 31 is adapted to normally rest snugly within the enlargement 10 of its respective slot 6 when at rest within the casing, and to rest snugly within the en largement 9 when in its extended position. At a suitable point near the inner end of the button-hook 30 is rigidly fixed a plate 33, Figs. 1, 1 and 17, adapted to engage the inner face of the lugs 141- and 24: when the button-hook is in its extended position and thereby prevents the withdrawal of the said blades, as shown in dotted outline in Fig. 5, and is also adapted to prevent any rotation of the button-hook during the longitudinal movements or when in use.

The operation and manner of employing my invention thus described is obvious and briefly stated is as follows: The operator can conveniently suspend my invention from a common key ring 34 by means of the hook 35 on the end of the button-hook 30, as shown in Fig. 1. To accommodate the curvature of the hook 35, the head 5 of the casing is set in or countersunk as shown, and the space between the free end of the hook and the end of the casing is too narrow to permit passage of the ring through the same. When it is desired to extend the buttonhook into its operative position the operator can press downward on the cap 38 which will disengage the shoulder 31 from the respective opening and he then withdraws the hook until this shoulder engages the opening at the other end of the guiding slot 6 through which the lug 32 freely slides. Obviously the function of the coiled spring is to firmly hold the said shoulder to its engagement in the ends of the casing slot. As the upper edge of the shoulder 31 is' rounded the operator if he desires can operate the button-hook to or from its extended position by merely pulling on the same without any pressure on the cap. \Vhen the buttonhook is in its extended position, as shown in Fig. 5, the fixed plate 33 thereon will obviously engage the lugs 14 and 24 on the blades and prevent their withdrawal either accidentally or otherwise while the buttonhook is in its extended position, thereby preventing injury to the operator. The two blades are identical in their operation. To operate the file-blade, for example, the operator presses down on the cap 20 until the collar 18 is disengaged from the enlargement of its respective slot 6, after which the blade is pushed forward toits extended position where the collar 18 will automatically engage the opening 9 in the forward end of the slot under the impulse of the coiled spring 19, and will firmly hold it in that position until it is again disengaged therefrom as before described, after which it may be returned to its normal position. The operation of the knife-blade is exactly the same and need not be specifically described.

Having thus described my invention and the manner of operating the same what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A hollow casing; a plurality of tools slidably mounted in the casing and longitudinally extensible to operative position therein in the same direction; and a tool 0ppositely extensible in the casing and provided with means for securing the first mentioned tools in their normal retracted position when it is in its extended position.

Signed by me at Fort Wayne, county of Allen, State of Indiana, this 11th day of March, 1912.

JOHN BRUECKER.

\Vitnesses:

HELEN DENNY, W. H. HoLzwARTH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

